Chhattisgarh Times
Raipur: Former Indian cricket Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has written to Chhattisgarh government seeking permission to set-up his own cricket academy at Atal Nagar (Naya Raipur), Raipur.
State sports department Director Dharmesh Sahu informed that “Dhoni in a sent a proposal and expressed his desire to set-up a sports academy and sought allotment land for this purpose”.
Sahu stating that Dhoni has yet not sent any detailed project report yet so he would be asked to submit the same for the proposed academy then the sports authorities of the state will take a final decision on it”
As per information, in proposal Dhoni wants to set-up his academy in Shaheed Veer Narayan International Cricket Stadium of Raipur so on this matter Chhattisgarh State Cricket Association spokesperson Rajesh Dave said “after a long struggle, Chhattisgarh got full affiliation from The Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI) and its been only three years that player of the state has been having facility to play first class including Ranji matches matches and spectators gets opportunity to watch international matches as well, in Shaheed Veer Narayan International Cricket Stadium. It would be difficult for the state cricket association to share the cricket stadium for an academy set-up of M S Dhoni. Cricket academy needs separate premises because in academy 100s of player takes training in regular basis and the international stadium is only available for domestic and international matches in the state. The maintenance task would also be difficult if a regular academy will run in the international stadium”.
Shaheed Veer Narayan International Cricket Stadium inaugurated in 2008. is the second largest cricket stadium in India having the sitting capacity of 50000 spectators at a time, after Eden Garden Cricket Stadium of Kolkata. It is also the fourth largest Cricket Stadium in world.
It is worth mention that M S Dhoni has functioning his own cricket academies in Ranchi, Nagpur, Patna, Dubai and Singapore as well.
